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The nearest two objects are the Earth and the Moon. They approximately 242,000 miles apart.

The Earth/Moon binary system are approximately 93,000,000 miles from the Sun .

These figures are approximate , because as the Moon orbits the Earth, it does so in an elliptical fashion; not a circular manner. Similarly the Earth/Moon binary system orbits the Sun also in an elliptical manner. These ellipses do not 'close-up' with each orbit, but slightly overlap . The plain of the orbits is not flat, but Earth and Moon move up and down from this plane. The Earth and Moon are on a braided track through space; it can be thought of as a 'dance'. Its all part of Newtonian mechanics.

In elementary diagrams where the orbits shown as circles are incorrect, they are ellipsoids. Also in similar diagrams where the Earth or Sun is shown at the centre are also incorrect. In their respective orbits the Earth and Sun lie at one of the foci (Plural noun of focus; 'focuses' is the verb) of the ellipse. Draw an ellipse on a piece of paper, with two pins and a piece of string. The pins are the foci of an ellipse. Refer to Johannes Kepler.

It is all because of these astronomic movements that the distances between the Sun, Earth, and Moon vary. Figures usually quoted are only mean values. You can see the effects of the Earth /Moon movement for yourself. At the same day and time in the lunar (Moon) cycle you will see the Moon either larger(nearer) or smaller(Further away), and at a different height in the sky, the up/down 'wobble' on the orbital track.

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lenpollock

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2y ago

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Continue Learning about Astronomy

Where is the moon during a full moon?

During a full moon, the moon is on the far side of the earth, away from the sun. In other words, the earth is between the sun and the moon. That means that the sun is behind us, shining on the part of the moon facing us. Therefore, we see the fully lighted side of the moon, which we call a full moon.


This is when sunlight shines on far side of the moon?

A lunar eclipse can occur when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, causing the Earth's shadow to fall on the moon. This creates a phenomenon where the sunlight is blocked from reaching the far side of the moon, resulting in a partial or total eclipse.


Which part of the Earth can observe a total eclipse?

Half the Earth (all that see the Moon at that time) can see when there is a total eclipse of the Moon (Moon goes into Earths shadow).Only a very small portion of the surface of the Earth is in total shadow during a total eclipse of the Sun (the Moon casts a shadow on the Earth).This totality shadow can be anywhere from several hundred kilometers wide (especially if it is glancing, near the poles as it will be in March of 2015) down to nothing (an annular eclipse if the moon is far enough away in its elliptical orbit).Over the Equator at maximum eclipse the swath that is in total darkness seldom is wider than 200 km and never more than 270 km.


How many times big the Sun from Moon?

The Sun is about 400 times as big (diameter) as the Moon. It just happens that the Sun is about 400 times as far away as the Moon so that when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun there can be a total eclipse of the Sun. The orbit of the Moon is eleiptical , sometimes close and sometimes farther away from the earth and when the alignment happens at a time when the Moon is farther away, the eclipse is annular (like a ring).


How far away was the moon when man landed on it?

The moon was 12

Related Questions

What astronauts have been to the moon during a lunar eclipse?

None of the astronauts who have been to the moon experienced a lunar eclipse while actually on the moon. The timing of lunar eclipses is unpredictable and there were no planned missions during an eclipse.


If the moon was further away would you get a corona on a solar eclipse?

Not with the naked eye, although we have special instruments - the coronagraph - that allow us to see the solar corona at any time. You can only see the solar corona with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse, and the Moon is already too far away to do that at apogee. If the Moon were further away than it is now, you would NEVER see a total solar eclipse.


In Twilight New Moon or Eclipse for what university is Bella first accepted?

it is eclipse and it is the university of alaska, which is good so she can be far away when she turns into a vampire.


How does the little moon cover the giant sun during a eclipse?

If you stretch your arm straight out at shoulder-height, you can cover the giant sun with the end of your little thumb. Nearby objects appear larger than far-away objects. The sun is about 390 times as far away from us as the moon is.


Why does a solar eclipse not cover much of the earth's surface but a lunar eclipse covers half of the earth's surface at any point?

During a solar eclipse, the moon's shadow only covers a small area on the Earth's surface due to the moon being much smaller than the Earth. In contrast, during a lunar eclipse, the Earth's shadow is much larger as it extends further into space and can darken the entire moon visible from Earth at that time.


What if an astronaut was on the far side of the moon during a solar eclipse?

In that case, the Sun would be above the horizon for that astronaut.


Diagram showing what phase of moon is during a lunar eclipse?

The moon is always Full at the time of a lunar eclipse.Sun, earth, and moon are in a straight line and in the same plane. The earth is in the middle.The moon is on one side of the earth ... in its shadow ... and the sun is on the other side,about 390 times as far away as the moon.


Where are the earth sun and moon during a solar eclipse?

The Moon and Sun are in the sky, and the Earth is right there underneath you like it always is. It's hard to answer the question seriously without a diagram. I advise visiting the sites linked below, which answer the question far more thoroughly than we could hope to.


Why do annular solar eclipses happen?

An annular eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun. This is because the distance of the moon from earth varies. The Sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon.


Can a lunar eclipse happen at anytime?

Lunar eclipses can be observed only during the night and only when the moon is far from the sun. Solar eclipses can be observed only during the day and only when the moon is near the sun. This question can be answered with a search engine. Try it next time: http://www.google.com/search?q=Does+a+Lunar+Eclipse+happen+at+day+time%3F


What is a solar eclipse that leaves a ring around the sun?

A solar eclipse that leaves a ring around the sun is known as an annular solar eclipse. This type of eclipse occurs when the moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the sun, resulting in a ring of sunlight being visible around the moon's silhouette during the peak of the eclipse.


When the moon is closet to the sun it is called what moon?

well actually the moon is way far away to the sun but to us they are close but it is always called the moon but once its the moon on top pf the sun or the other way around its called an eclipse